Ask an Expert Conference Calls

"Ask an Expert" Calls are webinars or teleconferences featuring FTC subject matter experts and are designed to provide training on a variety of topics.

Once a call is complete, the recording or webinar is posted to this page for download.

2014-2015 "Ask an Expert" Online Trainings

Upcoming trainings:

There are no scheduled trainings at this time. Please check out the trainings hosted this past fall listed below.

Past 2014-2015 Trainings:

FTC Robots and ESD: Due to a number of factors, FTC robots may experience negative effects of static build-up. Dan Edwards, FTA and Colleen Johnson, Team 3595 Schrodinger's Hat, will go over information on testing done by Dale Jordan, Oregon FTC Volunteer, and the tips, tricks, and techniques recommended to teams in the recently released FTC Guide to Avoiding NXT Lockups and FTC Robot Wiring Guide (of which Colleen is one of the authors). FTC Robots and ESD Presentation PPT (without notes) - PDF or FTC Robots and ESD Presentation PPT (with notes) - PDF

LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS for FTC: Join Hunter Smith, National Instrument's K-12 Engineering Specialist, as he goes over the basics of LVLM 2012 for FTC. This is a great opportunity to get an overview of the environment, learn from an expert and ask questions.

ROBOTC for FTC:Tim Friez, ROBOTC Senior Software Engineer, goes over the basics of ROBOTC programming for FTC. This is a great opportunity to get an overview of the environment, learn from an expert and ask questions.

3D Printing for FIRST Teams: 3D printing is an exciting new technology that many teams are taking advantage of when designing and building their robots. Our experts will cover tips and techniques for teams in designing, printing on an EKOCYCLE Cube 3D Printer, using 3D printed parts, as well as the resources available. FRC Team #3824, the RoHawktics, and Scott Turner from 3DSystems discuss and asnswer team questions.

FIRST Scholarships and the Steps Toward Success: Michelle Long, FIRST Alumni Programs Manager and Sofia Dhanani a Dr. Bart Kamen Memorial Scholarship winner and Cognitive Science major at the University of California Berkeley discuss all the details of the FIRST Scholarship program and the benefits.

Engaging Girls in STEM Education with FIRST - Experts Navrina Singh, Qualcomm R&D; Trish Tierney, Institute of International Education; Jackie Meissner, Mentor, FRC Team 16 and STEM educator talk about the need for young women to pursue STEM careers and how to encourage them to do so.

The FIRST Scholarship Program and the College Admissions process - Michelle Long, FIRST Scholarship Program Manager and Kate Caulfield, Assistant Director of Admissions at Olin College of Engineering talk about the FIRST Scholarship Program, the admissions process and best practices for how to make your application stand out.

Engineering for FIRST Teams - Join real-world engineers Mike Meholensky, of Rockwell Collins, and Charlie Blair, a PLTW engineering instructor, to learn about what it means to pursue a career in engineering.

Fundraising for FIRST Teams - Join members of the FIRST community, FRC Team Exploding Bacon; FTC Team Tesla; and Renee Becker, FIRST VISTA, as they discuss strategies for sustaining a team through fundraising, gaining (and keeping) sponsors and hear about a new fundraising training kit to be released this Fall.

How to Impress the Judges (Mp3) - Judging is a critical aspect of the FIRST programs. DId you know that half the teams going to the world championships are doing so because of their judging performance? Come hear about how judging works, what the judges are looking for, and some tips on how your team can better tell your story to the FTC judges. This session is for students and mentors (Mp3). - Power Point Slides